Welcome to the Weekly Movie Thread here on the Avocado! Let’s talk about recent releases (whatever that means), classics you’ve just discovered, or anything about film in general. They can be crowd pleasers, little known indies, or films that you know are good but are so harrowing that you never want to watch it ever again.
This year we recognize the 20th anniversary of Darren Aronovsky’s brutal look at drug addiction, Requiem For A Dream.
The movie featured an incredible soundtrack by the Kronos Quartet. “Lux Aeterna” would be one a trailer standard. It’s been used in trailers for Babylon AD, I Am Legend, and The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers.
The film was released to theaters with an NC-17 rating… one of the most high profile films to get that rating in a good long time. (IMDB says that it’s Rated R. That was after Aronofsky lobbied to have the rating changed and removed some sex scenes to appeal the board.) Requiem For A Dream featured some harrowing performances from Ellen Burstyn, Jennifer Connelly, and Jared Leto.
For me, though, the biggest revelation was none other than Marlon Wayans. He had been best known as a rather grating comedian on shows like In Living Color and Don’t Be A Menace to South Central While Drinking Juice In the Hood. So Wayans turning in one of the most tragic performances here was a huge surprise. That dude can act!
It makes me wonder why he would end up squandering those newly discovered comedic chops on things like White Chicks and Little Man…. but hey, Marlon Wayans seems to be having fun, and I can’t fault him for that. He already proved that he can do serious.
Today’s prompt: what actor known for comedy surprised you in a dramatic role?
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